TRANSCEND®
BITLESS BRIDLE®
Transcend is a registered name and the bridle is a registered design
Transcend offers a light, soft, gentle bridle, made in quality English leather. The bridle allows for two direct, distinct, subtle cues, and aids the achievement of finesse and refinement. Use lightweight reins on the curb, for a whisper of cue. The bridle can be used with a single rein to either the sidecue, or the curb.
BITLESS BRIDLE - Transcend can supply combinations of sizes to suit your horse's needs. PONY, COB, FULL and EXTRA FULL sizes are available. (Extra extra full. pony or XXS by special order)
BITLESS NOSEBAND - Transcend also supplies nosebands to fit your existing 3/4" headpiece.
LIGHTWEIGHT REINS - For sensitive, subtle cues, available in 1/4" and 3/8" in standard lengths
PERSONALISED BRIDLE - Available by special order.
3/4" reins, flat lightweight stirrup leathers are also available.
CORDEO/NECKSTRAP - use alongside your bridle as an extra means of communication, or as extra security. Great for bridleless too.
Biothane bridles now available, quality betabiothane from the US, bridles in a choice of colours Made to order in the UK.
My background
I went bitless about 14 years ago, and was stunned to find that my horse at the time, who had been in a rubber Pelham with elastic curb, was transformed by removing the bit, so much happier, and the relationship between us immediately improved. I had no fear of being unsafe bitless, and in fact, felt very much safer than I had bitted. I have never been a competitive rider but I have always wanted my horses to be able to carry me comfortably, using their backs well.
I worked my way through many of the available bitless options but didn’t feel entirely happy with any of them, and so started to experiment with home-made bridles. What was simply an experimental bridle for me and my horses became Transcend Bitless Bridle ®. The double bridle of bitless bridles.
I designed Transcend 11 years ago but shelved it 2 years later as I was unable to make the bridle widely known without social media (which wasn’t viable with my job at the time) I relaunched via face book in March 2016.
What I wanted to achieve was a bridle which had no indirect impacts, no mixed messages, no poll pressure, no squeezing, no leverage. I wanted something that would enable direct communication with immediate release, and as soft and gentle as possible.
Fitting:
Can the noseband be bought separately? Yes, it has ¾” integral cheek pieces so you need to check your head piece will fit. Both double and simple side-cue nose bands fit on the same Transcend head piece.
How to measure? there are infographics giving guidance and measurements. The noseband should fit midway between the sticky out cheek bones and the corners of the mouth, with 2 fingers minimum space measured on the top of the nose. The measurements given are actual size so you need to add in the ease. Measure your noseband and build up your bridle measurements from there. Allow 1” extra on your usual browband measurement to accommodate the padding on the head piece.
Reins:
Are the reins included in the price of the bridle? For the leather Transcend, reins are extra. For the double bridle curb, you need very lightweight reins, without clips. If you plan to sometimes use your double bridle just as a side-cue, you need to disable the curb strap to prevent it bouncing on the chin and giving random cues. The side cue reins can be any type. If you are showing, you might want to have matching side-cue and curb reins (both with billet hooks) you can add a separate pair of clips to the billet hook side-cue reins for ease of disabling the curb.
Transcend Biothane Bridle is complete with reins.
Description:
Is Transcend a scawbrig? No, scawbrigs work by tightening around the jaw against the noseband, Transcend double bridle has 2 distinct cues, which are separated by the curb rings being set below the noseband. The curb works by giving very subtle cues to the curb groove.
Is there poll pressure? No there is no means of leverage, so no poll pressure.
The curb strap is weighted by the padded leather being slightly heavier than the end straps, this enables a very subtle cue. The padded leather on the curb inhibits (but doesn’t totally stop the pad pulling through). If too much contact is put onto the curb the extension below the noseband will bend rather than put a squeeze on the horse.
Where is Transcend made? The bridles, and all other products in the range, are individually made in the UK, from English leather, they are hand finished. Bespoke ones are specially made to order.
Availability:
Where can Transcend be bought? Currently only from Sue Thomas in the UK. There is a shop, accessible via the Website and Face-book page, and for bespoke orders please contact to discuss.
Shipping:
How much is shipping and how long does it take? £8 within the UK, and £19 anywhere else in the world.
Following order, providing the order is a stock item it will be posted next working day first class recorded or if overseas, tracked. UK delivery will usually be the following day, overseas can be up to 4 weeks.
If ordering a bespoke, or special bridle, this can take up to 6 weeks to make, longer if a public holiday falls in the time.